UNIT 1:

PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF
FLUID

Edited By,
Alexandria anak George Empam
Dept. of Petrochemical Eng.
CONTENT

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FLUID

A) Mass Density
B) Specific Gravity (Relative Density)
C) Specific weight
D) Specific volume
E) Fluid Compressibility
F) Viscosity

PKS/DKM/DM/DJJ20073/CH2
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF FLUID
 Fluid properties are intimately related to fluid behavior.

Mass
Density

Viscosity PHYSICAL Relative

PROPERTIES Density

Fluid Specific Specific

Compressibility Volume Weight

PKS/DKM/JDM/DJJ20073/CH2
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF FLUID
(A) Mass Density, ρ

 can be defined as the mass per unit volume.

 symbol is ρ (rho) and the S.I unit is kg/m3.

PKS/DKM/JDM/DJJ200733/CH2
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF FLUID
(B) Relative Density, ς (Specific Gravity)

 is the ratio of the specific weight of the liquid to the specific weight
standard
fluid (water).
 symbol is ς. ζ =

ζ =

PKS/DKM/JDM/DJJ20073/CH2
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF FLUID
(C) Specific Weight, ω

 can be defined as the weight per unit volume at the standard temperature
and pressure.
 symbol is ω.
 S.I unit is N/m3.

PKS/DKM/JDM/DJJ20073/CH2
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF FLUID
(D) Specific Volume, ν

 can be defined as volume per unit of fluid.

 S.I unit is m3/kg.

PKS/DKM/JDM/DJJ20073/CH2
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF FLUID
(E) Fluid Compressibility

PKS/KM/JDM/DJJ20073/CH2
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF FLUID
(F) Viscosity, μ

 Property of a fluid, due to cohesion & interaction between molecules,

which offers resistance to sheer deformation.
 Different fluids deform at different rates under the same sheer
stress.
 Example : viscous maple syrup (cold especially!)
: not viscous water

PKS/DKM/JDM/DJJ20073/CH2
Example 2
What is the mass density ρ (in kg/m3) and specific volume, v if mass is
450 g and the volume is 9 cm3.

Example 3
What is the specific weight, ω of fluid (in kN/m3) and specific gravity if
the weight of fluid is 10N and the volume is 500cm3.

PKS/DKM/JDM/DJJ20073/CH2
Exercise 1
Volume of lubricant oil in a tank is 5.5 m3 and its weight
is 50KN. Calculate the following;

i. Mass density of oil

ii. Specific weight of oil
iii. Specific gravity of oil

PKS/DKM/JDM/DJJ20073/CH2
PKS/DKM/JDM/DJJ20073/CH2